Transfer mechanism for calculating



Apnl 21, 1953 'r. o. MEHAN TRANSFER MECHANISMFOR CALCULATING MACHINES Original Filed July 4, 1959 2 SHEETS SHEET l I I I I I I I f I 1 I I z I I I l I z I I I z I I I z I I I 1 I I dtonneyc.

T. O. MEHAN TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES April 21, 1953 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed July 4, 1939 I I ttomgy Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR CALCULATING MACHINES Thomas O. Mehan, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Victor Adding Machine Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois 'i Claims. l My invention relates generally to calculating machines, and more particularly to improved transfer or tens carryover mechanism for machines of this type.

In most adding machines, it is necessary to 'take a blank stroke of the Operating handle (or drive the machine through one cycle if it is electrically operated), in order to reset the accumulator transfer mechanism for operation upon the following cycle, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a simple and effective control means for automatically resetting the transfer mechanism upon the initial portion of an Operating cycle prior to the time the racks have been moved from their normal or rest positions.

A further object is to provide an improved means for restoring the accumulator tens transfer mechanism to normal position, which is rapid in operation, and simple in construction.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal Vertical sectional view, looking toward the left, of the adding machine, showing particularly the transvfer mechanism and the means for resetting the same; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, showing the means by which the transfer 'mechanism is quickly reset during the initia1 por- .tion of an Operating cycle.

This application is a division of my copen'ding application Serial No. 683,804, filed July 15, 1946, which has matured into Patent No. 2,475,510, and

which Was a division of my now abandoned application Serial No. 282,787, filed July 4, 1939.

Referring to Fig. l, the adding machine is prov.vided with a keyboard comprising a plurality of numeral keys having stems l l guided for vertical movement in slots formed in plates 12 and I4. Each of the key stems ll is provided With a cam projection 16 and a notch |8 for coopera- 'tion with a longitudinally slidable latch bar 20 'and a similarly movable actuator release bar 22, ;there being one bar 20 and one bar 22 for each ,longitudinal row of keys.

rearward positions by suitable Springs. such as the spring 2| shown in Fig. 1, for holding one of the latching' bars 20 in its rearward position. When one of the keys l0 is depressed, its camming projection E6 successively cams the bars 20 and 22 forwardly until the projection 16 of the key stem passes beneath the latching bar 20, whereupon the spring Operating the latter Will move it into the notch l8 and thereby latch the key in depressed position in the customary manner. The strokes of the keys are limited by fixed rods 23, each of which passes through elongated slots 24' in the key stems H of a transverse row. The keys, when released by the latch bars 20, are returned to their normal positions by coil springs 23 which extend through suitable openings in the key stems l l of a transverse row, are suitably anchored at their ends, and are supported intermediate longitudinal rows of keys by Vertical Separator plates 21 which also serve to join plates [2 and l4.

In a normal adding operation of the machine, the lower ends of such of the key stems H as have been 'depressed are adapted to form stops to limit the rearward travel of actuator slides 30 which are suitably guded for longitudinal movement and may be drawn rearwardly by Springs 32 in the customary manner after the slides have been released.

It will be understood that there is a slide 30 for each denominational order of the numeral keys Hl, each of these slides being connected by a plate 34 With an actuator 36, the actuators being mounted for longitudinal travel on a pair of rods 38, 39 which extend through elongated slots 40 and 4|, respectively, formed in the actuator, the actuators being suitably guided and spaced by combs 42 and 43. The actuator 36 for the highest denominational order is not connected to a slide and is therefore provided with a tension spring 44 for drawing it rearwardly (as Will appear hereinafter) when a total or subtotal is taken.

Vlator pinions 68 mounted for rotation upon a shaft 68. Each of the segments 50 is connected to its associated gear by a tension spring 56, the extent of relative movement of these parts under the influence of the spring ,being limited by the engagement of a sidewardly extending lug 51 on the segment 5G with the portion 58 of the gear 69. The shaft is secured at its ends tc a pair of similar arms 70 pivoted on a rod 12 so that the accumulator pinions *66 may be swung into and out of engagement with the teeth of' the gear sector 60. Each of the; accumulator pinions has secured thereto a disc provided with a transfer cam tooth 14 anda discV lrhaving a notch '31. The arms 'E0 are 'joined by a comb strip 80. The accumulator pinions lit, when in the normal position shown in Fig. l, are held from accidental rotation by a toothed strip B2 rigidly secured to the Vertical' frame p1ates-33- and 85 of the machine.

A comb plate 84, likewise rigidly secured to the frame plates, forms guides for transfer pawls 86, pivoted on rod 87, and for pawl latches, pivoted on a rod 89. 88 andrtheir, latches 38 for'clockwise rotation. At the rearward end ofv each transfer pawl 85 there is a projection 92 for engagement with its associated transfer cam'tooth 'E13, a notch Q5, and a stop projection zfor engagement with a lug 9d punched and,V bent sidewardly from the sector gear 60, of the next higher denominational order. ThusV whena transfer pawl 38 is tripped, spring 5G rotates the gear Sector clockwise a distan-ce sufiicient to cause its associated pinion G53 to be rotated through one-tenthV of a revolution, thereby to effect the transfer or carry-over. A pawl 85` which has beenitrippedis heldin tripped position by its latch 385 whichswings clockwise when the pawl is tripped. Suchlmovement is p-ermitted since theicomb 8B israisedwhen the accumulator pinions. are. in meshV With the gear sectors 60.

The latches 88.'are restored tonormal position by the -comb 80 as the accumulator arms 'K0 are returned tonormal position A pawl 88 which has beentrippedris held. in trippedrposition by the lug 94 which then restsin the notch 95. The tripped pawlsrarei permitted to return to normal position during the initial portion of` the following cycleof operation by a plate 98 secured to a shaft m8. When the-shaft mi). is rotated clock- Wise the plate S8 engages a projection H]] on each` of the gear sectorst; which has been operated to effect a-,transfer and rotates it'counterclockwise sufiicientlyto withdraw its-lugfl from the` notchzof the transfer 'pawl Be, so that the latter may beswungzback to its normal position by its spring 90.

The shaft l ll is rotated Vclockwise by the mechanism best shown in Fig.. 2. 'I'hesl'iaftv IW has anarm lksecured thereto, and this arm' has a wipe pawl IM pivotally secured thereto by a Vshouldereol rivet I, the pawl being held inthe like action, moving the arm 102 and the shaft E90,

clockwise. As'soon asthe stud fill Wipes past the pawl IMLthe arm l2 and shaft ten are returned to normal pesitionby a spring U8 (Fig. 1), the. return movementbeing limited by the engagement of the rearward endof arm 162 With;

Springs 90 bia-s both the pawls 4 a fi'xed stud 120. Near the end of the Operating cycle the stud I I wipes freely past the pawl IM.

A restoring bail rod 122 extends through arcuate slots 124 formedin all of thetype'segments 59 and through similar slots [23 formed in the frame plates 83 and 85, respectively. This bail rod |22 is swung counterclockwise shortly after thecommencement of the Operating cycle to permit the 'actuators to m'ove rearwardly under the influence of their springs 32 and '34, and is swung clockwise after printing has been eifected and near the end of the Operating cycle, to a position in which the rod 122 is shown in Fig. 2, thus restoringfthetype segments 50, together with the actuators l36v` and slides 3d, to normal position. Mechanism for accomplishing this is common in the art, as shown; for example, in my Patent No. 2,411,050.

From the foregoing, it will appear that as the main shaft HB commences its forward (counterclockwise, Fig. 2)4 oscillatory stroke, the stud M4, by its-engagement with therwipe pawl IM' Will, through a toggle-like action, swing the lever l02 clockwise very rapidly to rotate the shaft clockwise so thatv the plate 9B, by its engagement with the projections l lz on each of the gear sectors 6!! which has been operated to cause a transfer, rotates it counterclockwise sufiiciently to pilgmit the resetting of the transfer pawls to their normal positions under the influence of their Springs 96. This movement' of the plate 98 is very rapid, because as soon as the stud I M- Wipes past the pawl IM, the springl l l8:will`return the plate to itsnormal-postion so that the gear sectors 60 are again free-to effect' transfer operations.

Sinceallof theabove Operations take, place priorV to the time that the actuators 36 are permitted tomove rearwardly, that is, before they are freed for movementbyv the counterclockwise swinging movement of the restoring baill22, and before the accum'ulatorpinions are enmeshed, a total-taking operationmay be effected without the necessity of precedingit` with a blank stroke, as is necessaryin many prior machines, in order to restore their transfer mechanisms.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may beimade without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by the'following claims, to include Withinthe scope of the invention all such variations andmodifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtainedthroughtheuse of substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine, the combination of an accumulator comprisingV a plurality of'independently rotatable pinions; a transfer cam connected to: each of the pinions, a transfer mechanism-associated withieach of the cams and operable by the cams to effect transfers to the pinions of the next higherdenominationalorder, said transfer mechanism including, a normally latched resiliently operated actuator trippged by the cam to operate the pinion into which the transfer is eifected, a general operator, a part common to all of the actuators 'and operable to reset actuators which have been tripped, a Wipe 'pawl mechanism connected between the general operator and the part to operate thelatter in one direction.A during; the initiali portionz only, of

the operating cycle of the machine, and a spring to move the part in the opposite direction.

2. In a calculating machine having a pluralty of settable amount representing stops; actuators cooperable With the stops to be differentially set thereby; toothed elements having lost motion connections with the actuators respectively, permitting the toothed elements to move to the extent of one tooth thereof relative to their actuators; resilient means for causing such movement of the elements with respect to their actuators; accumulator pinions respectively eng'ageable With the toothed elements; transfer cams on the accumulator pinions; transfer pawls cooperable With the cams respectively and having parts engageable With the toothed elements respectively to hold the latter in normal positions against movement by their associated actuators and thereby cause lost motion of the elements with respect to their actuators as the 'actuators move to their normal positions; latches to hold the transfer pawls in operated position; a main shaft; means operated by the main shaft to cause engagement of the accumulator pinions With the elements shortly after the commencement of an Operating cycle of the machine upon total 'taking Operations; a restoring part movable to and i'ro mechanism operated by the main shaft prior to the engagement of the accumulator pinions With the toothed elements to move the restoring part in a direction to restoreany toothed elements which have been operated to effect a transfer, and resilient means for moving the restoring part in the opposite direction.

3. In a calculatng machine having a plurality of settable amount representing stops; actuators movable from their normal positions to engage the stops and to be differentially set thereby; toothed elements having lost motion connections With the actuators respectively, permitting the toothed elements to move to the extent of one tooth thereof relative to their actuators; a restoring bail operated near the end of a machine cycle to restore the actuators to their normal positions; resilient means between the toothed elements and actuators to take up the lost motion; accumulator pinions respectively engageable with the toothed elements; transfer cams on the accumulator pinions; transfer paWls cooperable with the cams respectively and having parts engageable With the toothed elements respeetively to arrest movement of the toothed elements and thereby to cause motion of the toothed elements with respect to their actuators as the actuators are restored to normal position by the restoring bail; a general operator; means operated by the general operator to cause engagernent of the accumulator pinions With the toothed elements shortly after the commenoeme it of a total-taking Operating cycle of the machine; a restoring bar movable to and fro and engageable with such of the toothed elements as have effected transfers to move them a sumcient distance to permit resetting of their transfer paivls; and mechanism 'actuated by the general operator` to move the restoring bar to and fro during the initial portion only of each Operating cycle and prior to the engagement of the accumulator pinions with the toothed elements.

4. In a calculating machine, an accumulator, a spring, actuating and transfer mechanism for the accumulator having a part which is moved from its normal position by power stored in said spring when a transfer is effected, a main operator, means operated thereby to cause engagement of the accumulator with said part of said mechanism during total taking Operations shortly after the beginning of an Operating cycle, a member engageable With said part of said mechanism to restore said part and the transfer mechanism to normal position, a spring biasing said member to normal position, and a Wipe pawl mechanism driven by the main operator to move said member against the force of its biasing spring prior to the engagement of said part with the accumulator, thereby to restore said part and said transfer mechanism to normal position.

THOMAS O. MEI-IAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,016,308 Walker Feb. 6, 1912 2.261,242 Fettig Nov. 4, 1941 2,274,049 Dreher Feb. 24, 1942 2,475,510 Mehan July 5, 1949 

